1.
Archduke
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Archduke was the title borne from 1358 by the Habsburg rulers of the Archduchy of Austria, and later by all senior members of that dynasty. It denotes a rank within the former Holy Roman Empire, which was below that of Emperor and King and above that of a Grand Duke, Duke, the territory ruled by an Archduke or Archduchess was called an Archduchy. All remaining Archduchies ceased to exist in 1918, in the Carolingian Empire, the title Archduke was awarded not as rank of nobility, but as a unique honorary title to the Duke of Lotharingia. Lotharingia was eventually absorbed by East Francia, becoming part of the Holy Roman Empire rather than a fully independent Kingdom, the later extended fragmentation of both territories created two succeeding Duchies in the Low Countries, Brabant and Geldre. Both claimed archducal status but were never recognised as such by the Holy Roman Emperor. Archduke of Austria, the archducal title to re-emerge, was invented in the Privilegium Maius in the 14th century by Duke Rudolf IV of Austria. Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV refused to recognise the title, as did all the ruling dynasties of the member countries of the Empire. But Duke Ernest the Iron and his descendants assumed the title of Archduke. Emperor Frederick III himself simply used the title Duke of Austria, never Archduke, the title was first granted to Fredericks younger brother, Albert VI of Austria, who used it at least from 1458. In 1477, Frederick III also granted the title of Archduke to his first cousin, Sigismund of Austria, the title appears first in documents issued under the joint rule of Maximilian and his son Philip in the Low Countries. Archduke was initially borne by those dynasts who ruled a Habsburg territory—i. e, only by males and their consorts, appanages being commonly distributed to cadets. But these junior archdukes did not thereby become sovereign hereditary rulers, occasionally a territory might be combined with a separate gubernatorial mandate ruled by an archducal cadet. From the 16th century onward, Archduke and its form, Archduchess. After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire this usage was retained in the Austrian Empire, thus those members of the Habsburg family who are residents of the Republic of Austria are simply known by their first name and their surname Habsburg-Lothringen. However, members of the family who reside in other countries may or may not use the title, in accordance with laws, for example, Otto Habsburg-Lothringen, the eldest son of the last Habsburg Emperor, was an Austrian, Hungarian and German citizen. Hence, no member of the family other than the King bears the title of Archduke. The insignia of the Archduke of Lower and Upper Austria was the archducal hat, List of rulers of Austria List of Austrian consorts

2.
Kunigunde of Austria
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Kunigunde of Austria was an Austrian Archduchess member of the House of Habsburg and by marriage Duchess of Bavaria-Munich and since 1503 over all Bavaria. She was the daughter of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and his wife Eleanor of Portugal, born in Wiener Neustadt, Kunigunde was the fourth of five children born to the Imperial couple, however, only she and her older brother Maximilian survived to adulthood. She grew up in an informal and open atmosphere, without rigid court etiquette, contrary to former practice, she learned not only to read, write, and embroider, but also received instruction in riding and hunting, astronomy and mathematics. Like most daughters of families, since her early years Kunigunde was involved in the political intrigues of her time. In 1470 King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary requested her hand, however, at the age of fifteen, in 1480, Kunigunde made her formal presentation in Vienna during the visit of George, Duke of Bavaria, called the Rich to Frederick IIIs court. Kunigunde married Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria-Munich in 1487 against the will of her own father, in spite of her resignation from court life, she tried to influence the politics of the state as she acted in favour of the rights of her younger sons. She was in contact with her brother, Emperor Maximilian I. With Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria-Munich she had Seven children, betrothed to Louis V, Elector Palatine, she died before the wedding took place. Sibylle, married in 1511 to Louis V, Elector Palatine, sabina, married in 1511 to Duke Ulrich I of Württemberg. Ernest, an official in Passau, Archbishop in Salzburg. Susanna, married firstly in 1518 to Margrave Casimir of Brandenburg and secondly in 1529 to Otto Henry, Count Palatine of Neuburg, after the death of Albert in 1508 she later joined the Convent of Püttrich which she favoured and lived there until her death in 1520. Women in power Cloister of Püttrich Biography Article in the Biographische Lexikon des Kaiserthums Österreich

3.
Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy
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Archduchess Margaret of Austria, Princess of Asturias and Duchess of Savoy by her two marriages, was Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands from 1507 to 1515 and again from 1519 to 1530. Margaret was born on 10 January 1480, as the child and only daughter of Maximilian of Austria and Mary of Burgundy. She was named after her stepgrandmother, Margaret of York, Dowager Duchess of Burgundy, who was especially close to Duchess Mary. In 1482, Margarets mother died and her brother, Philip the Handsome. In 1482, her father and the King Louis XI of France signed the Treaty of Arras, the engagement took place in 1483. Margaret, with Franche-Comté and Artois as her dowry, was transferred to the guardianship of King Louis XI of France and she was educated at the French royal court and prepared for her future role as queen of France. She was raised as a fille de France by Madame de Segré, under the supervision of her fiancés sister and regent, several French noble children had their education overseen by Anne as well, amongst which Louise of Savoy, with whom she would later negotiate peace. Margaret developed genuine affection for Charles, however, in the autumn of 1491, he renounced the treaty and married Margarets stepmother Anne, Duchess of Brittany, for political reasons. The French court had ceased treating Margaret as queen early in 1491, the Duchess of Brittany had been married to Margarets father by proxy but their marriage was annulled. Margaret was not returned to her stepgrandmothers court until June 1493, Margaret was hurt by Charless action and was left with a feeling of enduring resentment towards France. Margaret left the Netherlands for Spain late in 1496, the marriage took place in 1497. John died after six months, on 4 October. Margaret was left pregnant, but on 2 April 1498 she gave birth to a stillborn daughter. The Dowager Princess of Asturias returned to the Netherlands early in 1500, in 1501, Margaret married Philibert II, Duke of Savoy. This marriage was childless as well, and he died three years. A grief-stricken Margaret threw herself out of a window, but was saved, after being persuaded to bury her husband, she had his heart enbalmed so she could keep it with her forever. She vowed never to marry again and her court historian and poet Jean Lemaire de Belges gave her the title Dame de deuil. During a remarkably successful career lasting from 1506 until her death in 1530, after the early death of her brother Philip of Spain, in November 1506 she became the only woman elected as its ruler by the representative assembly of Franche-Comté

4.
Eleanor of Austria
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She also held the Duchy of Touraine as dower. She is called Leonor in Spanish and Portuguese and Eléonore or Aliénor in French, Eleanor was born in Louvain as the eldest child of Philip of Austria and Joanna of Castile, who would later become co-sovereigns of Castile. Her siblings were Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I, Queen Isabella of Denmark, Queen Mary of Hungary, when she was young, Eleanors relatives tried to marry her to the future King of England, Henry VIII, to whom she was betrothed. However, when Henrys father died and he became King, Henry decided to marry Eleanors aunt, Catherine of Aragon, who was the widow of King Henrys older brother, Arthur, Prince of Wales. Her relatives also tried to marry her to the French Kings Louis XII or Francis I or to the Polish King Sigismund I, Eleanor was also proposed as a marriage candidate for Antoine, Duke of Lorraine, in 1510. In 1517 Eleanor may have had an affair with Frederick II. Her brother Emperor Charles once discovered her reading a letter from Frederick. Charles forced Eleanor and Frederick to swear in front of an attorney that they were not secretly married and she followed her brother to Spain in 1517. Eleanor married her uncle by marriage, King Manuel I of Portugal, after a marriage with her cousin the Crown Prince. Her brother Charles arranged the marriage between Eleanor and the King of Portugal to avoid the possibility of Portuguese assistance for any rebellion in Castile, Manuel had previously been married to two of Eleanors maternal aunts. Manuel and Eleanor married on 16 July 1518 and they had two children, the Infante Charles and the Infanta Maria. She became a widow on 13 December 1521, when Manuel died of the plague, as Queen Dowager of Portugal, Eleanor returned to the court of Charles in Spain. Eleanors sister Catherine later married Eleanors stepson, King John III of Portugal, in July 1523, Eleanor was engaged to Charles III, Duke of Bourbon, in an alliance between Charles and Bourbon against France, but the marriage never took place. In 1526, Eleanor was engaged to King Francis I of France during his captivity in Spain, in 1529, by the treaty called La Paz de las Damas, it was stipulated that the marriage should take place. She was married to Francis on 4 July 1530, Eleanor left Spain in the company of her future stepsons, who were now to be released having been held hostage by her brother. The group met Francis at the border, where Eleanor and Francis were married, Eleanor was crowned Queen of France in Saint-Denis on 31 May 1531. She was dressed in purple velvet at her coronation, Eleanor was ignored by Francis, who seldom performed his marital obligations and preferred his lover Anne de Pisseleu dHeilly. At the official entrance of Eleanor to Paris, Francis displayed himself openly to the public in a window with his lover Anne for a period of two hours

5.
Isabella of Austria
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Isabella of Austria, also known as Elizabeth, Archduchess of Austria and Infanta of Castile and Aragon, was Queen of Denmark, Sweden and Norway as the wife of King Christian II. She was the daughter of King Philip I and Queen Joanna of Castile and she served as regent of Denmark in 1520. Isabella spent her childhood in the Netherlands under the tutorage of the regent of the Netherlands and her fortune, her succession rights, and her connections made her a valuable pawn in the royal marriage market. Therefore, Isabella was selected for the Danish king, on 11 July 1514, one week short of her 13th birthday, Isabella was married by proxy to King Christian II of Denmark with Emperor Maximilian I, her grandfather, standing in for the king. She remained in the Netherlands, but is said to have fallen in love with her spouse at the sight of his painting, a year after the wedding, the Archbishop of Nidaros was sent to escort her to Copenhagen. The marriage was ratified on 12 August 1515, the Kings Dutch mistress, Dyveke Sigbritsdatter, had been with him since 1507, and he was not about to give her up for a teenager. Dyvekes mother, Sigbrit Willoms, was influential at court. From 1516, Anne Meinstrup was head lady-in-waiting of her court, in 1520, Christian took the throne of Sweden, thereby making Isabella Queen of Sweden. After taking Stockholm, he asked the Swedish representatives to turn it, Isabella served as the regent of Denmark during Christians stay in Sweden. Her husband was deposed as king of Sweden the following year, when King Christian was deposed in 1523 by disloyal noblemen supporting his uncle Duke Frederick, the new king wanted to be on good terms with Isabellas family. He wrote her a letter in her native German, offering her a dowager queens pension. But Isabella wrote back to Duke Frederick in Latin, stating that, ubi rex meus, ibi regnum meum, Isabella left Denmark with her husband and their children after her husband was deposed in 1523 and travelled to the Netherlands. Isabella and Christian travelled around Germany in an attempt to help for Christians restoration to the throne. Isabella made her own negotiations with her relatives, and also accompanied her husband on his travels and they visited Saxony in 1523 and Berlin in 1523–1524. In Berlin, Isabella became interested in the teachings of Luther, the former queen died at the castle of Zwijnaarde near Ghent aged twenty-four. She received both Protestant and Catholic communion, but the Habsburgs declared that she had died a convinced Catholic and her religious sympathies, and whether she was a Protestant or a Catholic after 1524, have been debated. At her deathbed, she gave the cause of her husbands restoration to her aunt and her 15xgreat-granddaughter Princess Isabella of Denmark was named after her

6.
Mary of Hungary (governor of the Netherlands)
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Mary of Austria, also known as Mary of Hungary, was queen consort of Hungary and Bohemia as the wife of King Louis II, and was later Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands. The daughter of Queen Joanna and King Philip I of Castile, Mary married King Louis II of Hungary and their marriage was happy but short and childless. Upon her husbands death following the Battle of Mohács in 1526, Queen Mary governed Hungary as regent in the name of the new king, her brother, as governor of the Netherlands, Mary faced riots and a difficult relationship with the Emperor. Throughout her tenure she continuously attempted to ensure peace between the Emperor and the King of France, after her final resignation, the frail Queen moved to Castile, where she died. Having inherited the Habsburg lip and not very feminine looks, Mary was not considered physically attractive and her portraits, letters, and comments by her contemporaries do not assign her the easy Burgundian charm possessed by her grandmother, Duchess Mary of Burgundy, and her aunt Margaret. Nevertheless, she proved to be a determined and skillful politician, as well as a patron of literature, music. Born in Brussels on 15 September 1505, between ten and eleven in the morning, Archduchess Mary of Austria was the child of King Philip I. Her birth was difficult, the Queens life was in danger. On 20 September, she was baptized by Nicolas Le Ruistre, Bishop of Arras, and named after her grandmother, Mary of Burgundy. Her godfather was her grandfather, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. On 17 March 1506, Emperor Maximilian promised to marry her to the first son born to King Vladislaus II of Hungary, at the same time, the two monarchs decided that a brother of Mary would marry Vladislaus daughter Anne. Three months later, Vladislaus wife, Anne of Foix-Candale, gave birth to a son, Queen Anne died in childbirth and the royal physicians made great efforts to keep the sickly Louis alive. After the death of Marys father in September 1506, her mothers health began to deteriorate. Mary, Isabella, and Eleanor were educated together at their aunts court in Mechelen and their music teacher was Henry Bredemers. Mary was summoned to the court of her grandfather Maximilian in 1514, on 22 July 1515, Mary and Louis were married in St. Stephens Cathedral, Vienna. At the same time, Louis sister Anne was betrothed to an as yet unspecified brother of Mary, due to their age, it was decided that the newly married couple would not live together for a few more years. Anne eventually married Marys brother Ferdinand and came to Vienna, where the double sisters-in-law were educated together until 1516 and that year, Marys father-in-law died, making Louis and Mary king and queen of Hungary and Bohemia. Mary moved to Innsbruck, where she was educated until 1521, Maximilian encouraged her interest in hunting, while childhood lessons prompted an interest in music

7.
Catherine of Austria, Queen of Portugal
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Catherine of Austria was Queen of Portugal as wife of King John III, and regent during the minority of her grandson, King Sebastian, from 1557 until 1562. An Infanta of Castile and Archduchess of Austria, Catherine was the daughter of King Philip I by Queen Joanna of Castile. Catherine was born in Torquemada and named in honor of her maternal aunt and she remained with her mentally unstable mother until her eldest siblings, Eleanor and the future Emperor Charles V, arrived at Spain, coming from Flanders. All of her five siblings, except Ferdinand, were born in the Low Countries and had been put into the care of their aunt Margaret of Austria. Catherine actually stayed with her mother during imprisonment at Tordesillas during her grandfather Ferdinand of Aragons time as regent, when the time came for her to marry, Catherine was released from the custody that her mother was to endure until her death. On 10 February 1525, Catherine married her first cousin, King John III of Portugal and they had nine children, but only two survived early childhood. After the death of her husband in 1557, she was challenged by her daughter-in-law and niece, Joan of Austria, over the role of regent for her grandchild, the infant King Sebastian. Mediation by Charles V resolved the issue in favour of his sister Catherine over his daughter Joan and she then served as the regent of Portugal from 1557 until 1562. In 1562, she turned over the regency to Henry of Portugal, Catherine had one of the earliest and finest Chinese porcelain collections in Europe due to her position as both the youngest sister of Emperor Charles V and the Queen of Portugal. Her collection became the first kunstkammer on the Iberian Peninsula and she was following a tradition established earlier by the Portuguese King Manuel I of Portugal who had purchased porcelain for his wife, Maria of Castile, who was Catherines aunt. Catherine has no descendants today, as both her grandchildren died childless and her line of descent became extinct within six months of her death, as the only descendant of hers that survived her, King Sebastian of Portugal, died in August 1578

8.
Maria of Austria, Holy Roman Empress
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Archduchess Maria of Austria was the spouse of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia and Hungary. She was the daughter of Emperor Charles V and twice served as regent of Spain, Maria was born in Madrid to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain, and Isabella of Portugal. She grew up mostly between Toledo and Valladolid with her siblings, Philip and Joanna and they built a strong family bond despite their fathers regular absences. Maria and her brother, Philip, shared similar strong personal views, on 15 September 1548, aged twenty, she married her first cousin Archduke Maximilian. The couple had sixteen children during the course of a twenty-eight-year marriage, while her father was occupied with German affairs, Maria and Maximilian acted as regents of Spain from 1548 to 1551 during the absence of Prince Philip. Maria stayed at the Spanish court until August 1551, and in 1552 the couple moved to live at the court of Maximilians father in Vienna. During another absence of her brother, now King Philip II, from 1558 to 1561, Maria was again regent of Spain and returned to Madrid during that time. After her return to Germany, her husband succeeded his father Ferdinand I as ruler of Germany, Bohemia and Hungary. Maria was a devout Catholic and frequently disagreed with her religiously ambiguous husband and she had great influence over her sons, the future emperors Rudolf and Matthias. Maria returned to Spain in 1582, taking her youngest surviving child Margaret with her, promised to marry Philip II of Spain, Margaret finally refused and took the veil as a Poor Clare. Commenting that she was happy to live in a country without heretics, Maria settled in the Convent of Las Descalzas Reales in Madrid. She was the patron of the noted Spanish composer Tomás Luis de Victoria, Maria exerted some influence together with Queen Margaret, the wife of Philip III of Spain. Margaret, the sister of the future Emperor Ferdinand II, would be one of three women at Philips court who would apply considerable influence over the king, Margaret continued to fight an ongoing battle with Lerma for influence until her death in 1611. Philip had an affectionate, close relationship with Margaret, and paid her additional attention after she bore him a son, also named Philip and they were successful, for example, in convincing Philip to provide financial support to Ferdinand from 1600 onwards. Philip steadily acquired other religious advisors

9.
Archduchess Anna of Austria
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Anna of Austria was the daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and his wife Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. Anna was the third of fifteen children, annas paternal grandparents were Philip I of Castile and his wife Joanna of Castile. Her maternal grandparents were Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary and his third wife Anne de Foix and she was engaged several times as a child, first to Prince Theodor of Bavaria, then to Charles dOrléans, but both died young. Anna finally married on July 4,1546 in Regensburg at the age of 17, Duke Albert V, Duke of Bavaria, the brother of her first fiancé. This marriage was part of a web of alliances in which her uncle Charles V, the wedding gift was 50,000 Guilder. The couple lived at the Trausnitz Castle in Landshut, until Albert became Duke, Anna and Albert had great influence on the spiritual life in the Duchy, and enhanced the reputation of Munchen as a city of art, by founding several museums and the Bavarian State Library. Anna and Albert were also patrons to the painter Hans Müelich, in 1552, Albert commissioned an inventory of the jewelry in the couples possession. The resulting manuscript, still held by the Bavarian State Library, was the Jewel Book of the Duchess Anna of Bavaria, karl William V Ferdinand Maria Anna married Archduke Charles II of Austria Maximiliana Maria Friedrich Ernst, Archbishop of Cologne

10.
Archduchess Magdalena of Austria
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Archduchess Magdalena of Austria was a member of the House of Habsburg, and the founder and first abbess of the convent in Hall in Tirol. Magdalena was the daughter of fifteen children of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor. During the lifetime of her father had expressed to Archduchess Magdalena and her younger sister Margaret the desire to remain unmarried, Magdalena died in 1590 after a short sickness. She was buried in the Jesuit church in Hall in Tirol, in 1706, her remains were transferred to the convent church

11.
Catherine of Austria, Queen of Poland
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Catherine of Austria was one of the fifteen children of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. In 1553, she married Polish King Sigismund II Augustus and became Queen consort of Poland and Grand Duchess consort of Lithuania and their marriage was not happy and they had no issue. After a likely miscarriage in 1554 and a bout of illness in 1558 and he tried but failed to obtain a divorce from the pope. In 1565, Catherine returned to Austria and lived in Linz until her death, Sigismund died just a few months after her bringing the Jagiellon dynasty to its end. Catherine was one of the fifteen children of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and she spent most of her childhood at Hofburg, Innsbruck and received education based on discipline and religion. She learnt Italian and Latin languages, on 17 March 1543, Catherine was betrothed to Francesco III Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua and Marquess of Montferrat. It reflected her fathers desire to strengthen Habsburg influence against France in northern Italy, particularly Milan, both Catherine and Francesco were 9 and 10 years old at the time. The wedding took place six years later on 22 October 1549, in October 1549, Catherine was escorted by her elder brother Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria from Innsbruck to Mantua. Her dowry was 100,000 Rhine florins, the marriage lasted only four months as Francesco III Gonzaga drowned in the Lake Como on 21 February 1550. Widowed Catherine returned home to Innsbruck, Habsburgs claimed that the marriage was not consummated to increase Catherines chances for a better second marriage. In May 1551, after the death of his second scandalous wife Barbara Radziwiłł, Emperor Ferdinand I pursued the marriage between Catherine and Sigismund to create a pro-Habsburg group within the Polish court. Particularly, he wanted to prevent Polish assistance to Sigismunds sister Isabella Jagiellon, both Catherine and Sigismund personally opposed the marriage. Catherine blamed Sigismund of mistreating and causing the death of her older sister. Sigismund feared that Catherine would be similarly unattractive and of health as Elisabeth. However, the Habsburgs threatened to create an alliance with the Tsardom of Russia. In early 1553, Mikołaj the Black Radziwiłł traveled to the court of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, Radziwiłł had further orders to travel to investigate marriage opportunities with Mechthild of Bavaria or one of the daughters of Ercole II dEste, Duke of Ferrara. However, the Emperor convinced Radziwiłł that marriage between Catherine and Sigismund was best, Radziwiłł wrote enthusiastic letters to Sigismund, who soon gave in and gave his consent on 10 April 1553. The papal dispensation was received on 20 May and the treaty was signed on 23 June

12.
Archduchess Eleanor of Austria
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Archduchess Eleanor of Austria was the daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. Eleanor was the child and sixth daughter out of fifteen children born to Archduke Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Anna of Bohemia. She was a sister of Johanna of Austria, who married Francesco I de Medici, thus making Eleonora the aunt of Marie de Medici and she married William I, Duke of Mantua on 26 April 1561. Their children were, Vincent I, Duke of Mantua, married her maternal uncle Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria. At about age 5, Eleanors daughter Anne Catherine became severely ill and she contracted a high fever and her extremities began to swell. For two years she was ill, finally Eleanor and William appealed to the Virgin Mary with deep prayer, promising to raise Anne as a child of Mary if she lived on. Eleanor and William told their daughter of the Virgin Marys intervention on her behalf, from there out Eleanor educated and guided Anne Catherine in the cultivation of devotion to Mary. Throughout childhood Anne Catherine displayed a consistent sense of piety, Eleonora died on 5 August 1594 at the age of 59, she had been a widow since 1587 when her husband died

13.
Joanna of Austria, Princess of Portugal
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Joanna of Austria was the mother of Sebastian of Portugal, and later regent of Spain for her brother, Philip II of Spain. She was born in Madrid to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and her siblings were King Philip II of Spain and Maria, Holy Roman Empress. Among others, Joanna held the titles of an Archduchess of Austria, Infanta of Castile and of Aragon, joannas only child, Sebastian of Portugal, was born posthumously in 1554, a couple of weeks after her husbands death at the age of 16. Shortly after Sebastians birth, Joanna was called back to Madrid by her brother Philip to act as regent during his absence in England and she filled this role with intelligence and efficiency. Joanna never remarried and never returned to Portugal and she never saw her son Sebastian again, although she sent him letters and had portraits of him painted at various ages so she could see what he looked like. This convent is now a monument and holds an art collection. It was founded in the palace where Joanna was born. Joanna repeatedly intervened in favor of the new order of the Jesuits, in 1555, she is reputed to have been admitted surreptitiously to the male-only Jesuit order under the name of a pseudonym, Mateo Sánchez

14.
Archduchess Barbara of Austria
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Barbara of Austria was born in Vienna to Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. From 1547, in Innsbruck with her sisters Magdalena, Margareta, Helena and Johanna, even though Barbara was regarded as plain, several proposals had been made for her hand, due to her connections with the Austrian and Spanish courts. In 1565 her marriage to Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara, was celebrated with much splendour and it was a happy marriage but it remained childless. Torquato Tasso who, in 1565, had called to the court of Ferrara. In 1570 and 1571, after an earthquake, using her own income she supported young girls without parents and she founded the Conservatore delle orfane di Santa Barbara which was very much appreciated by the population of Ferrara. She was in constant touch with the Jesuits but also had a close relationship with her Protestant mother-in-law, Renée of France. Having been sickly since 1566, she died, aged thirty-three, media related to Archduchess Barbara of Austria at Wikimedia Commons

15.
Joanna of Austria, Grand Duchess of Tuscany
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Joanna of Austria was born an Archduchess of Austria as the youngest daughter of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. By marriage, she was the Grand Princess of Tuscany and later the Grand Duchess of Tuscany, one of her daughters was Marie de Medici, second wife of King Henry IV of France. Joanna was born in Prague as the youngest of 15 children and she never knew her mother and eldest sister as her mother died 2 days after Joannas birth and her sister Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of Poland, died two years before Joanna was born. Her paternal grandparents were Philip I of Castile and Joanna of Castile and her maternal grandparents were King Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary, and Anna of Foix-Candale. Through her father, Joanna was also a descendant of Isabella I of Castile and her marriage to Francesco I de Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany, took place on 18 December 1565 in Florence, after she solemnly arrived in the city by the Porta al Prato. Giorgio Vasari and Vincenzo Borghini, with the help of Giovanni Caccini made big festivities for these event, the party was also taken to the Medici Villa in Poggio a Caiano. Nevertheless, Joanna was homesick and unhappy, ignored by her husband, and despised by the Florentines for her Austrian hauteur, she never felt at home in Florence. Her father-in-law, Cosimo I de Medici, was kind to Joanna. The position of Joanna in the Florentine court was difficult during most of her marriage, finally, in 1577 Joanna gave birth to the long-awaited heir, baptised Filippo in honour of King Philip II of Spain, Joannas first cousin. In the end, however, it was all for naught, Joannas brother-in-law, Ferdinando, on 10 April 1578, Joanna – heavily pregnant with her eighth child – fell from the stairs in the Grand Ducal Palace in Florence. Some hours later, she gave birth to a son, who, born prematurely and she died the next day on 11 April. Francesco subsequently married his mistress, Bianca Cappello and then made her grand duchess, the mysterious circumstances around this accident caused rumours accusing her husband and his mistress of murdering Joanna, so that they could be married. However, modern medical investigation of her remains confirm the reports of her death as caused by the birth. Joanna suffered from scoliosis, her spine and pelvis were severely deformed and it is clear from the condition of her pelvis that her previous births had been difficult, and it seems remarkable that she had survived them. The eight children of Francesco and Joanna were, Eleanor de Medici married Vincenzo I Gonzaga, romola de Medici died in infancy. Isabella de Medici died in infancy, lucrezia de Medici died in infancy. Maria de Medici married Henri IV of France and had issue, Philip de Medici died in infancy. Out of a total of eight children, only two daughters, Eleanor and Marie lived to adulthood, the rest of the children died young

16.
Isabella Clara Eugenia
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Isabella Clara Eugenia was sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands in the Low Countries and the north of modern France, together with her husband Albert VII, Archduke of Austria. In some sources, she is referred to as Clara Isabella Eugenia, by birth, she was an infanta of Spain and Portugal. Isabella Clara Eugenia of Austria was born in the Palacio del bosque de Valsaín, Segovia on 12 August 1566, daughter of Philip II of Spain and her paternal grandparents were Emperor Charles V and Isabella of Portugal. Her maternal grandparents were Henry II of France and Catherine de Medici and her father, Philip II, was reportedly overjoyed at her birth and declared himself to be happier on the occasion than he would have been at the birth of a son. Isabellas mother, Elisabeth of Valois, had originally been betrothed to Don Carlos, despite the significant age difference between them, Philip was very attached to Elisabeth, staying close by her side even when she was ill with smallpox. Elisabeths first pregnancy in 1564 ended in a miscarriage of twin daughters and she later gave birth to Isabella Clara Eugenia on 12 August 1566, and then to Isabellas younger sister Infanta Catherine Michelle of Spain 10 October 1567. Elisabeth miscarried a daughter in 1568 and died the same day, Isabella grew up with her sister Infanta Catherine Michelle of Spain, beloved by her father and her stepmother Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain, Philips fourth wife. Philip ultimately fathered five children by Anna, all of whom died in childhood except his heir. Isabella was also the person whom Philip permitted to help him with his work, sorting his papers. Since 1568, at the age of two, Isabella Clara Eugenia was promised to marry Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, son of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, Maria was a daughter of her paternal grandparents Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and Isabella of Portugal. Isabella Clara Eugenia, however, had to wait for more than 20 years before the eccentric Rudolf declared that he had no intention of marrying anybody, at any rate, Isabella Clara Eugenias mother had ceded any claim to the French crown with her marriage to Philip II. However the Parlement de Paris, in power of the Catholic party and her father decided to cede the Spanish Netherlands to her on condition that she marry her cousin, Albert VII, Archduke of Austria. They were to reign over the Netherlands jointly as duke/count and duchess/countess and it was also stipulated that, should they have no children, the Netherlands would revert to the King of Spain upon the death of either spouse. On 18 April 1599, being 33 years old, she married Albert, Albert was the joint sovereign of the Seventeen Provinces and the former viceroy of Portugal. As Albert also was the Archbishop of Toledo, he had to be released from his religious commitments by Pope Clement VIII before the wedding could take place. Shortly before Philip II died on 13 September 1598, he renounced his rights to the Netherlands in favor of his daughter Isabella and her fiancé. Beginning in 1601, the couple ruled the Spanish Netherlands together, a false anecdote links Isabella, the siege of Ostend, and the horse coat colour isabelline. The reign of Albert and Isabella is considered the Golden Age of the Spanish Netherlands, the reign of the Archduke Albert of Austria and Archduchess Isabella Clara Eugenia is a key period in the history of the Spanish Netherlands

17.
Infanta Catherine Michelle of Spain
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Catherine Michelle of Spain was a Duchess consort of Savoy by marriage to Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, she also served as Regent of Savoy several times during the absence of her spouse. She was the youngest surviving daughter of Philip II of Spain and Elisabeth of Valois, she was also the sister of Isabella Clara Eugenia, catherine Michelle was described as beautiful, intelligent, arrogant and well aware of her high social status. She had a relationship with her father and exchanged letters with him after her marriage. Charles Emmanuel I suggested the marriage as a way of gaining Spanish support for his plans to expand Savoy on the coast of the then weakened France, the wedding took place in Zaragoza on 11 March 1585 and the couple made their entrance to Turin in Savoy 10 August 1585. Catherine Michelle was initially unpopular because of her arrogance and attempts to introduce Spanish pomp, ceremony, however, she soon gained respect because of her political and diplomatic skill, which she used to defend the autonomy of Savoy against Spain. She refused the Spanish offer to install a Spanish garrison in Turin from Milan with the excuse of giving her a life guard and she is reported to have had great influence on Charles Emmanuel I and to have reformed him for the better. She also served as regent several times during the absence of the duke on military campaigns, catherine Michelle died near the end of 1597, she had miscarried earlier that year. Her father died the following year and her sister Isabella married Albert VII, Archduke of Austria, and later became Governess of the Netherlands. In 1584, she married Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy and this marriage produced ten children, Philip Emanuel Victor Amadeus Emanuel Filibert of Savoy, Spanish Viceroy of Sicily

18.
Philip II of Spain
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Philip II of Spain, called the Prudent, was King of Spain, King of Portugal, King of Naples and Sicily, and jure uxoris King of England and Ireland. He was also Duke of Milan, from 1555, he was lord of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands. Known in Spain as Felipe el Prudente, his empire included territories on every continent then known to Europeans, during his reign, Spain reached the height of its influence and power. This is sometimes called the Golden Age, the expression, the empire on which the sun never sets, was coined during Philips time to reflect the extent of his dominion. During Philips reign there were separate state bankruptcies in 1557,1560,1569,1575 and this was partly the cause of the declaration of independence that created the Dutch Republic in 1581. The Ambassador went on to say He dresses very tastefully, the culture and courtly life of Spain were an important influence in his early life. He was tutored by Juan Martínez Siliceo, the future Archbishop of Toledo, Philip displayed reasonable aptitude in arms and letters alike. Later he would study with more illustrious tutors, including the humanist Juan Cristóbal Calvete de Estrella, though Philip had good command over Latin, Spanish, and Portuguese, he never managed to equal his father, Charles V, as a polyglot. While Philip was also a German archduke of the House of Habsburg, Philip felt himself to be culturally Spanish, he had been born in Spain and raised in the Castilian court, his native tongue was Spanish, and he preferred to live in Spain. This would ultimately impede his succession to the imperial throne, in April 1528, when Philip was eleven months old, he received the oath of allegiance as heir to the crown from the Cortes of Castile. Philip was also close to his two sisters, María and Juana, and to his two pages, the Portuguese nobleman Rui Gomes da Silva and Luis de Requesens, the son of his governor Juan de Zúñiga. These men would serve Philip throughout their lives, as would Antonio Pérez, Philips martial training was undertaken by his governor, Juan de Zúñiga, a Castilian nobleman who served as the commendador mayor of Castile. The practical lessons in warfare were overseen by the Duke of Alba during the Italian Wars, Philip was present at the Siege of Perpignan in 1542 but did not see action as the Spanish army under Alba decisively defeated the besieging French forces under the Dauphin of France. On his way back to Castile, Philip received the oath of allegiance of the Aragonese Cortes at Monzón. The king-emperors interactions with his son during his stay in Spain convinced him of Philips precocity in statesmanship, Philip, who had previously been made the Duke of Milan in 1540, began governing the most extensive empire in the world at the young age of sixteen. Charles left Philip with experienced advisors—notably the secretary Francisco de los Cobos, Philip was also left with extensive written instructions that emphasised piety, patience, modesty, and distrust. These principles of Charles were gradually assimilated by his son, who would grow up to become grave, self-possessed, personally, Philip spoke softly and had an icy self-mastery, in the words of one of his ministers, he had a smile that cut like a sword. After living in the Netherlands in the years of his reign

19.
Anna of Austria, Queen of Spain
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Anna of Austria was Queen of Spain by virtue of her marriage to her uncle, King Philip II of Spain. She was the eldest daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II and her maternal grandparents were Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor who was emperor when she was born, and Isabella of Portugal. Her paternal grandparents were Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I and Anna of Bohemia, Anna was born in Spain, but lived in Vienna from the age of four. She had many siblings, two of whom became emperors, among her sisters was Queen Elisabeth of France, wife of King Charles IX of France. Anna was considered her fathers favorite child, the story goes that he enjoyed playing and gambling with her and once a meeting of the Estates of Hungary was postponed because Anna was sick. She received a Catholic education even though her father was sympathetic to Lutheranism, as the eldest daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor, Anna was a desirable candidate for marriage at the European courts. Her parents thought of a Spanish marriage to strengthen links between the Austrian and Spanish Habsburg families, initially she had her cousin Don Carlos of Spain in mind, the only son of her maternal uncle Philip II of Spain. These plans were shattered in 1568 when Don Carlos died, plans for a Spanish marriage were revived when Philips third wife, Elisabeth, died in childbirth, also in 1568. As a result, Philip was left a widower with two young daughters, Philip was now looking for his fourth wife, since he had no male heir since Don Carlos died. In February 1569, Annas engagement to her uncle Philip II was announced, Anna traveled from Austria to Spain in the autumn of 1570 accompanied by her brothers Albert and Wenzel. They traveled through the Netherlands, where Anna was accosted by friends and relatives of Floris of Montigny, Montigny had been imprisoned in Spain since 1567. Now that King Philip had entered into a new marriage, Montignys family and they received a promise from the future queen that she would do her utmost to free Montigny, however she was unsuccessful, with Montigny being strangled on the orders of the king. Anna passed along the English Channel, where Elizabeth I sent her admirals, Charles Howard and William Wynter, to offer support, on 3 October Anna arrived on Spanish soil, but before she could reach the king, Floris was secretly put to death on 16 October 1570. The historian John Brewer believes that Philip had him executed soon after Philips first meeting with Anna. Besides being her fathers favorite child, Anna was also Philips most beloved wife, but the marriage was at first opposed by many, including Pope Pius V. According to diplomats, the king was in love with his young bride, Philip was a conscientious monarch and maintained his relationship with Anna twice a week to write notes. It was Philips fourth marriage, but the still had no male heir. Anna completed her duties flawlessly in that regard, not only was she a good stepmother to Philips daughters Isabella Clara Eugenia and Catherine Michelle, but she also gave birth to five children, including sons

20.
Elisabeth of Austria, Queen of France
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Elisabeth of Austria was Queen of France from 1570 to 1574 as the wife of King Charles IX. A member of the House of Habsburg, she was the daughter of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, Elisabeth was the fifth child and second daughter of her parents sixteen children, of whom eight survived infancy. During her childhood, she lived with her older sister Anna and younger brother Matthias in a pavilion in the gardens of the newly built Stallburg and they enjoyed a privileged and secluded childhood, and were raised in the Roman Catholic religion. Her father Maximilian visited her often and Elisabeth seems to have been his favorite child and she resembled him, not only in appearance but also in character, Elisabeth was just as intelligent and charming as her father. With her flawless skin, long blond hair and perfect physique. She was also regarded as demure, pious, and warmhearted but naive, Elisabeths brothers were educated by the Flemish writer and diplomat Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq. The curious princess soon joined and even overshadowed them in their studies, very early, around 1559, a match between Elisabeth and the Duke of Orléans, the future King Charles IX of France was suggested. In 1562, the Maréchal de Vieilleville, a member of the French delegation sent to Vienna, after seeing the princess, exclaimed, Your Majesty. Only in 1569, after the failure of plans with Frederick II of Denmark and Sebastian of Portugal. Elisabeth was first married by proxy on 22 October 1570 in the cathedral of Speyer, her uncle, Archduke Ferdinand of Further Austria-Tyrol, after long celebrations, on 4 November she left Austria accompanied by high-ranking German dignitaries, including the Archbishop-Elector of Trier. Before reaching her destination, Elisabeth stayed in Sedan, where her husbands two younger brothers Henry, Duke of Anjou and François, Duke of Alençon, greeted her, Charles was reportedly delighted with the sight of her. King Charles IX of France and Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria were formally married on 26 November 1570 in Mézières, Charles, Cardinal de Bourbon, the occasion was celebrated with immense pomp and extravagance, despite the dire state of French finances. The new queens wedding gown was of cloth of silver sprinkled with pearls, because of the difficult journey and the cold weather, at the beginning of 1571 Elisabeth fell ill. Since the wedding took place far away from Paris, it was only in the spring that the German-French alliance was celebrated again with magnificent feasts in the capital. On 25 March 1571, Elisabeth was consecrated as Queen of France by the Archbishop of Reims at the Basilica of St Denis, the new queen officially entered Paris four days later, on 29 March. Then, she disappeared from public life, Elisabeth was so delighted about her husband that she, to general amusement, did not hesitate to kiss him in front of others. However, the couple had a warm and supportive relationship. Charles realised that the ways of the French Court might shock Elisabeth and, along with his mother

21.
Anna of Tyrol
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Anna of Tyrol, was by birth Archduchess of Austria and member of the Tyrolese branch of the House of Habsburg and by marriage Holy Roman Empress, German Queen, Queen of Bohemia and Queen of Hungary. The first crowned Holy Roman Empress since the century, she was responsible from the moving of the Imperial court from Prague to Vienna. A proponent of the Counter-Reformation, she held an influence over her husband, with whom she founded the Imperial Crypt. Anna was born in Innsbruck on 4 October 1585 as the third and last daughter of Ferdinand II, Archduke of Further Austria and Count of Tyrol and she had two older sisters, Archduchesses Anna Eleonore and Maria, later a nun. All them suffered from poor health since birth and her baptism was conducted with special solemnity, being organizated by her uncles Maximilian III, Archduke of Austria and Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria. The godfather of the princess was Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, for whom his son Archduke Ernest of Austria stood as proxy, Anna spend her childhood at the Innsbruck court, which thanks to her parents became in the center of Renaissance culture. She lived in Ambras Castle, Hofburg and Ruelyust Palaces, in order to protect the health of her daughter, since 1590 Archduchess-Countess Anna Caterina had a personal cookbook. In January 1595, the princess lost her father and her widowed mother made every effort to give her daughters a good education. Anna then discovered a musical talent, which was acquired for her clavichord. The love for music remained in the princess throughout her life, being raised in a strict Catholic environment, Anna, even as Holy Roman Empress, when she believed that she had committed a sin, engaged in self-flagellation to torment the flesh. The Dowager Archduchess-Countess made frequent pilgrimages, but didnt take her daughters with her due to their poor health, Maria, Annas older sister, followed their mothers example and also took the veil in the same convent under the name of Anna Catherine. Upon reaching adulthood, Anna began to receive offers of marriage, the first proposal was made in 1603 by King Sigismund III of Poland, but Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor didnt gave his consent. Then the Emperor expressed his intention to marry the princess and sent to Innsbruck his court painter to make a portrait of his intended bride. Once the Emperor showed his interest in Anna, her mother stopped taking other marriage proposals for her, the Emperors younger brother Archduke Matthias also began to woo her, and some time later, Rudolf II allowed the marriage of his brother to his former fiancée. Matthias, although he was already in his fifties, hoped to sire an heir with his 26-year-old wife, four years later, when Anna became slightly stout, rumors began at the Imperial court that she had finally become pregnant. But soon courtiers began to joke that her corpulence wasnt related to a pregnancy, on 21 May 1612 Matthias was elected King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor. Anna was crowned Holy Roman Empress and Queen of Germany in Frankfurt on 15 June 1612 and she was the first crowned Empress since Eleanor of Portugal. Anna was also crowned Queen of Hungary on 25 March 1613 in Pressburg, called the Good-natured and loving Empress, she had a great influence over her husband, jointly with Matthias mistress Susana Wachter

22.
Anne of Austria, Queen of Poland
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Anne of Austria was queen consort of Poland and Sweden by marriage to King Sigismund III Vasa. Anne was a daughter of Charles II of Austria and Maria Anna of Bavaria and her paternal grandparents were Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anne of Bohemia, daughter of King Ladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary and his wife Anne of Foix-Candale. Anne became the first wife of Sigismund of Poland on 31 May 1592 and this marriage was opposed by many nobles of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, who were opposed to the alliance with the Austrian Habsburgs that Sigismund pursued. Anne evaded the guards, arrived in Kraków and was crowned in May 1592 by Primas Karnkowski as the Queen of Poland, in 1594, she followed her spouse to Sweden, where she was crowned as the Queen of Sweden in Uppsala the 19 February. 19 April 1594, she gave birth to a daughter, whose baptism was celebrated at the Swedish court. During her stay in Sweden, she involved in a conflict with Dowager Queen Gunilla Bielke. She accused Gunilla for having stolen valuables from the Royal Palace and she was regarded as quite polite but distant and depressive during her stay. She did not speak Swedish, and she regarded the Swedish people as heretics and rebels, at her departure from Sweden in July 1594, she was granted Linköping, Söderköping and Stegeborg on the condition that she respect the Protestant belief within these feifs. Anne and Sigismund fell in love and Anne gained the friendship and respect of many of her enemies with her politeness. Sigismund III then married her sister Constance Renate of Habsburg, http, //runeberg. org/sqvinnor/0024. html Europe in the sixteenth-century, Andrew Pettegree,2002, ISBN 0-631-20704-X Den svenska historien. Riket formas, Gunvor Grenholm, Jan Cornell, Jerker Rosén, Sten Carlsson and Svenolov Ehrén,1978, ISBN 91-0-042667-9

23.
Maria Christina of Habsburg
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Maria Christierna of Austria, was a Princess of Transylvania by marriage to Sigismund Báthory, and for a period in 1598 elected sovereign Princess regnant of Transylvania. She was the daughter of Archduke Charles II of Austria, the son of Emperor Ferdinand I and her elder brother Archduke Ferdinand, succeeded as Holy Roman Emperor in 1619. On 7 February 1595 was received in Graz the formal petition of marriage between Maria Christina and Sigismund Báthory, ruling Prince of Transylvania, by the noblemen Stephen Bocskay. The marriage contract was negotiated almost a month, and finally the bride on 15 June accompanied by her mother, in Kaschau Maria Christina fell ill with fever, which delayed the re-ride. The formal marriage took place in Weissenburg on 6 August 1595, the marriage was regarded as a major political gain, as Sigismund, formerly a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, now formed close ties with the Holy Roman Empire. Emperor Rudolf II appointed Sigismund Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, the agreement was signed on 16 January 1595 by the Hungarian parliament in Bratislava. In 18 April 1598, at the request of the local nobility, however, her rule was only nominal because Emperor Rudolf II sent representatives to rule. On 20 August 1598, Sigismund Báthory regained the throne and reconcilied with his wife, when Sigismund abdicated for a second time in March 1599, Maria Christina finally left him and return to Austria in April. On 17 August 1599 Pope Clement VIII dissolved her marriage, and in 1607 she joined to her younger sister Eleanor in the Haller Convent in Hall in Tirol, where she died in 1621, aged forty-six

24.
Archduchess Catherine Renata of Austria
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Archduchess Catherine Renata of Austria was a member of the House of Habsburg. She was the daughter of Archduke Charles II of Austria, the son of Emperor Ferdinand I and her elder brother Archduke Ferdinand, succeeded as Holy Roman Emperor in 1619. Born in Graz and like all of her siblings, Catherine Renata suffered from the famous Habsburg inferior lip, negotiations for a marriage between her and Ranuccio I Farnese, Duke of Parma were initiated when Catherine Renata suddenly died aged twenty-three. She was buried in the Seckau Abbey

25.
Archduchess Gregoria Maximiliana of Austria
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Archduchess Gregoria Maximiliana of Austria was a member of the House of Habsburg. She was the daughter of Archduke Charles II of Austria, the son of Emperor Ferdinand I and her elder brother Archduke Ferdinand, succeeded as Holy Roman Emperor in 1619. Born in Graz, her godparents were Pope Gregory XIII and her maternal aunt, named after both, Gregoria Maximiliana was described as extremely pious and had the closest relationship to her mother among her siblings. In addition to the Habsburg inferior lip, Gregoria Maximiliana suffered from a deformed shoulder, in 1596 the Admiral of Aragon arrived to Graz and had deliver to the Spanish court portraits of Gregoria Maximiliana and her two younger sisters in marriageable age, Eleanor and Margaret. Shortly after, Gregoria Maximiliana was betrothed to the Prince of Asturias, although the Prince, after seeing the portraits he preferred Margaret, was his father King Philip II who chose Gregoria Maximiliana as his bride, mainly because she was the older. On 17 September 1597 the Prince of Asturias made a visit to the Imperial court in Graz, at this time, Gregoria Maximiliana was seriously ill and she compared her suffering to the prisoners of the Turkish sultan. Three days later, she died aged sixteen, and was in buried in Seckau Abbey, Gregoria Maximilianas fiancé married her sister Margaret in 1599

26.
Margaret of Austria, Queen of Spain
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Margaret of Austria was Queen consort of Spain and Portugal by her marriage to King Philip III and II. Margaret was the daughter of Archduke Charles II of Austria, the son of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I and Anne of Bohemia, Margarets mother was Maria Anna of Bavaria. Her elder brother was the Archduke Ferdinand, who succeeded as Emperor in 1619, two of her sisters, Anna and Constance, through their subsequent marriages to King Sigismund III Vasa, became Queens of Poland. Margaret married Philip III of Spain, her first cousin, once-removed, on 18 April 1599, Philip had an affectionate, close relationship with Margaret, and paid her additional attention after she bore him a son in 1605. Margaret was also a great patroness of the arts and she was considered by contemporaries to be a very pious Catholic and astute and very skillful in her political dealings. They emphasised Spains status as a Catholic power acting in the interest of Catholic Europe and they were successful, for example, in convincing Philip to provide financial support to Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II. Queen Margaret was melancholic and unhappy about the influence of the Duke, whom she considered corrupt, over her husband, the Duke of Lerma was eventually removed from power in 1618, though only after Margarets death. Margaret died while giving birth to her youngest child, Alfonso and her husband never remarried and died ten years later. Sánchez, Pious and Political Images of a Habsburg Woman at the Court of Philip III, in, Magdalena S. Sánchez and Alain Saint-Saëns, Spanish women in the golden age, images and realities

27.
Constance of Austria
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Constance of Austria was queen of Poland as the second wife of King Sigismund III Vasa and the mother of King John II Casimir. Constance was a daughter of Charles II of Austria and Maria Anna of Bavaria and her paternal grandparents were Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. Anne was the daughter of King Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary. Her maternal grandparents were Albert V, Duke of Bavaria and Anne Habsburg of Austria, Constance was also a younger sister of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, Margaret of Austria, Leopold V of Austria and Anna of Austria. Her older sister Anna was the first wife of king Sigismund III Vasa, after her death Constance and Sigismund were married on December 11,1605. They had seven children, John Casimir, John Casimir, who reigned during 1648–1668 as John II Casimir. Queen Constance was an ambitious politician, immediately after the wedding, she made efforts to influence policy. She built a strong faction of followers by arranging marriages between her handmaidens and powerful nobles and she represented the interests of the Habsburg family in Poland, and influenced the appointments of positions in the court, government and church. Her closest confidant was Urszula Meyerin, Constance was proficient in Spanish, Latin and Italian. She learned Polish after the wedding but rarely used it and she was very religious and went to Mass twice a day. She also was a patron of clerics, painters and architects and she financed the buildings of several palaces for her children, but she was also described as an economic person. In 1623 Constance bought Żywiec from Mikołaj Komorowski, which was forbidden by law to the members of the Royal Family, some time later she made it forbidden for Jews to settle in the city. Constance wished to secure the succession of her own son to the rather than the son of her sister. Urszula Meyerin Golub-Dobrzyń The Stockholm Roll, Entry of the Wedding Procession of Constance of Austria and Sigismund III into Kraków in 1605

28.
Archduchess Maria Maddalena of Austria
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Maria Maddalena of Austria was Grand Duchess of Tuscany from the accession of her husband, Cosimo II, in 1609 until his death in 1621. With him, she had eight children, including a duchess of Parma, a duke of Tuscany. Born in Graz, she was the youngest daughter of Charles II, Archduke of Inner Austria, during the minority of her son, Grand Duke Ferdinando, she and her mother-in-law acted as regents. She died on 1 November 1631 in Passau, in 1608, Maria Maddalena was married to Cosimo de Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany. Cosimos father, Grand Duke Ferdinando I of Tuscany, arranged the marriage in order to assuage Spains animosity towards Tuscany and she and Cosimo enjoyed a contented marriage. Cosimo II died in 1621, leaving their ten-year-old son Ferdinando as grand duke, Maria Maddalena and her mother-in-law, Christina of Lorraine, acted as regents until the boy came of age. Their collective regency is known as the Turtici, Maria Maddelanas temperament was analogous to Christinas. Together, they aligned Tuscany with the Papacy, re-doubled the Tuscan clergy, in 1626, they banned any Tuscan subject from being educated outside the Grand Duchy, a law later resurrected by Maria Maddalenas grandson, Cosimo III. Harold Acton ascribes the decline of Tuscany to their regency, the Dowager Grand Duchesses sent Ferdinando on a tour of Europe in 1627. The Grand Duchess died aged 42 after a visit to her brother Leopold in Innsbruck on the way back to Passau and her son had been in power for a year. Maria Cristina de Medici, she was deformed or mentally retarded Ferdinando II de Medici, gian Carlo de Medici made Cardinal in 1644. Margherita de Medici married Odoardo Farnese, Duke of Parma, mattias de Medici appointed Governor of Siena. Anna de Medici married Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria Leopoldo de Medici, made Cardinal in 1667

29.
Anne of Austria
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Anne of Austria was queen consort of France and Navarre, regent for her son, Louis XIV of France, and a Spanish and Portuguese Infanta by birth. During her regency, Cardinal Mazarin served as Frances chief minister, born at Benavente Palace in Valladolid, Spain, and baptised Ana María Mauricia, she was the eldest daughter of King Philip III of Spain and his wife Margaret of Austria. She held the titles of Infanta of Spain and of Portugal, in spite of her birth in Spain, she was referred to as Anne of Austria because the rulers of Spain belonged to the House of Austria. Anne was raised mainly at the Royal Alcazar of Madrid, exceptionally for a royal princess, Anne grew up close to her parents, who were very religious. She was raised to be too, and was often taken to visit monasteries during her childhood. In 1611, she lost her mother, who died in childbirth, despite her grief, Anne did her best to take care of her younger siblings, who referred to her with affection as their mother. Anne was betrothed at age eleven to King Louis XIII of France and her father gave her a dowry of 500,000 crowns and many beautiful jewels. For fear that Louis XIII would die early, the Spanish court stipulated that she would return to Spain with her dowry, jewels, and wardrobe if he did die. On 24 November 1615, Louis and Anne were married by proxy in Burgos while Louiss sister, Elisabeth of France, Anne and Elisabeth were exchanged on the Isle of Pheasants between Hendaye and Fuenterrabía. She was lively and beautiful during her youth and she was also a noted equestrian, a taste her son, Louis, would inherit. At the time, Anne had many admirers, including the handsome Duke of Buckingham, Anne and Louis, both fourteen years old, were pressured to consummate their marriage in order to forestall any possibility of future annulment, but Louis ignored his bride. Louiss mother, Marie de Medici, continued to conduct herself as queen of France, Anne, surrounded by her entourage of high-born Spanish ladies-in-waiting, continued to live according to Spanish etiquette and failed to improve her French. During the years he was in the ascendancy, the Duke of Luynes attempted to remedy the formal distance between Louis and his queen, Anne began to dress in the French manner, and in 1619 Luynes pressed the king to bed his queen. Some affection developed, to the point where it was noted that Louis was distracted during an illness of the queen. A series of stillbirths disenchanted the king and served to chill their relations, on 14 March 1622, while playing with her ladies, Anne fell on a staircase and suffered her second stillbirth. Louis blamed her for the incident and was angry with the Duchess of Luynes for having encouraged the queen in what was seen as negligence. Henceforth, the king had less tolerance for the influence that the duchess had over Anne, Louis turned now to Cardinal Richelieu as his advisor. Under the influence of Marie de Rohan-Montbazon, the queen let herself be drawn into political opposition to Richelieu, in 1635, France declared war on Spain, placing the queen in an untenable position

30.
Maria Anna of Spain
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Maria Anna of Spain, was by birth Infanta of Spain and by marriage Holy Roman Empress and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia as the wife of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor. Of her seven siblings, only four survived infancy, Anna, Philip IV of Spain, Charles, Maria Annas parents had a close kinship, her father was her mothers first cousin once-removed. From early childhood, Maria Anna has played an important role in the projects of her father. London and Madrid began active negotiations, the possible marriage between the Prince of Wales and the Spanish Infanta, was known in history under the name Spanish Match, and caused an internal political crisis in both England and Scotland. In 1623 the Prince of Wales, accompanied by George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, however, Maria Anna did not wish to marry a Protestant and Charles would not convert to Catholicism. At the end, the wedding never took place not only for political reasons, Charles eventually married Henrietta Maria of France. At the end of 1626 Maria Anna was betrothed to the brother of her first fiance, Ferdinand. The formal engagement was preceded by a series of negotiations which were conducted in 1625 and that same year, Prince Ferdinand was crowned King of Hungary, and in 1627 King of Bohemia. In the negotiations were included all the aspects of the Infanta at the court of her future spouse. Despite the desire of the groom that Maria Annas confessor would be the Jesuit Ambrosio Penalosa, Maria Anna had left Madrid for Vienna in December 1629. The travel took more than a year, enroute by sea, in Genoa complications arose due to an epidemic of the plague that erupted in the Italian Peninsula. For this reason, the cortege was unable to stop in Bologna, the cortege moved to Naples, where Maria Anna finally received the award. Leaving the Kingdom of Naples, the Infanta crossed the Papal States, on this section of her journey Maria Anna was accompanied by Roman aristocracy, led by another nephew of Pope Urban VIII, Taddeo Barberini, Prince of Palestrina. On 26 January 1631 she arrived in Trieste, where she met Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, her future brother-in-law and that day, Maria Anna was married to King Ferdinand of Hungria-Bohemia per procura with Archduke Leopold Wilhelm serving as the proxy. Before the official wedding, King Ferdinand, not trusting the previous portraits that he had seen of the Infanta, the Royal oberhofmeister asked for an audience with Maria Anna, on this visit, he was accompanied by some nobles, among whom was her groom. Struck by the beauty of the Infanta, King Ferdinand immediately revealed his identity, the love and respect that the future emperor felt for his wife lasted through all their marriage. He was never unfaithful to her or had illegitimate children, in Vienna on 20 February 1631 Maria Anna was formally married with King Ferdinand of Hungary-Bohemia, with festivities lasting a month. The marriage was described as friendly, Maria Anna was described as happy-tempered, friendly, and intelligent, and she able to ease the feelings of the melancholic Ferdinand

31.
Cecilia Renata of Austria
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Archduchess Cecilia Renata of Austria was Queen of Poland as consort to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealths King Władysław IV Vasa. Cecilia Renata was a daughter of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, of the House of Habsburg, born in 1611 in Graz, she was chosen as bride by the Polish nobility. She married Władysław on 9 August in Vienna by proxy, and then in Warsaw in person on 12 September 1637, and this was the first royal coronation outside of Kraków, the historic, former capital of Poland, and this greatly angered the Polish nobility. A law was instigated to reserve coronations to Kraków in 1638, young and energetic, she soon began organising the royal court to her liking. She was popular, especially for her politeness, one noble wrote in his memoirs that she insisted other women sit with her, even though she was queen. Cecilia could not remove her husbands mistress, Hedwig Łuszkowska, by herself, in 1638, Cecilia and Władysław visited Vienna. Cecilia advocated the Habsburg and pro-Catholic point of view and allied herself with the faction of chancellor Jerzy Ossoliński. Her political opponent at the court was the faction of Adam Kazanowski, whose influence over King Władysław, his childhood friend, Kazanowski was allied with Chancellor Piotr Gembicki, who thus became one of her opponents. Her influence was strong for the first 2–3 years of marriage, after 1638/1639 when Władysław realised that Habsburgs were prepared to give him little assistance, her power waned, and he started to disregard her advice. Cecilia kept in contact with her brothers and continued an attachment with them. On 23 March 1644 Cecilia Renata gave birth her third child and she died next day as a consequence of an infection, likely related to her recent childbirth. Following her sudden death, Cecilia Renata was deeply mourned by both Władysław and the Royal Polish court and she also left a good impression on the public, mostly for her piety and good will. The Significance of the Crown Portrait of King Sigismund II Augustus by Peter Danckerts de Rij

32.
Archduchess Isabella Clara of Austria
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Not to be confused with Isabella Clara Eugenia, sovereign of the Netherlands. During 1665–1671 she was Regent of the Duchies of Mantua and Montferrat on behalf of her minor son, accused of marrying her lover without Imperial consent, she was forced to take the veil as a nun and imprisoned at the Ursuline monastery of Mantua until her death. Isabella Clara was born in Innsbruck on 12 August 1629 as the child and second daughter of Leopold V, Archduke of Further Austria and Count of Tyrol. From her mothers first marriage, she had an older half-sister, Vittoria della Rovere, Duchess of Rovere and Montefeltro suo jure, the official wedding between them was solemnized three months later, on 7 November in Mantua. In March 1651, together with her husband and mother-in-law, Isabella Clara accompanied her sister-in-law, Eleonora Gonzaga for her wedding with Ferdinand III and they remained in the Imperial court until May, when they returned to Mantua. Their relations at first were secret, but soon were known by all, due to her affair, Isabella Clara suffered the reject and contempt from the Ducal court. In June 1661 an assassination attempt was made against the Count Bulgarini, in 1660, after the death of her mother-in-law, Isabella Clara also took the title of Duchess of Montferrat. When Charles II died suddenly on 14 August 1665, there were rumors that he was poisoned by his wifes orders, in fact, the Duke died either accidentally after drink an aphrodisiac, or in the midst of a lascivious intercourse. Already during the life of her husband, Isabella Clara, relying on the advice of her lover, during her regency Isabella Clara increased the Duchy of Mantuas territory, strengthening his defenses. In addition, the actions of Count Bulgarini improved the situation of the state with several tax, judicial and law enforcement systems. In August 1670 at Goito Isabella Clara entered into a contract with Ferrante III Gonzaga, Duke of Guastalla, under which their children Ferdinand Charles. Under this contract, Ferrante III named both his daughter and son-in-law joinly heirs of the Duchy of Guastalla and the Dosolo, Luzzara and Reggiolo regions. In addition, the Dowager Duchess was able to obtain the approval of the Emperor that, after the death of Ferrante III, at the request of the Imperial Commissioner, Count Gottlieb von Windisch-Graetz, both Isabella Clara and Count Bulgarini took monastic vows. The Dowager Duchess became a Poor Clare nun, Isabella Clara died on 24 February 1685 in the Ursuline monastery in Mantua. Her funeral was attended by her son, and she was buried in the Church of SantOrsola. The public memorial service for took place only on 14 May in the Basilica palatina di Santa Barbara, habsburg, Elisabeth auch Isabella Clara von Oesterreich. Austria, Austrian Literature Online, University of Innsbruck, allgemeine encyclopädie der wissenschaften und künste in alphabetischer folge von genannten schrifts bearbeitet und herausgegeben. 1665-1669 Isabella Clara dAustria, reggenza per il figlio Ferdinando Carlo in, catalogo-mantova. lamoneta. it

33.
Maria Leopoldine of Austria
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As such, she was Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, German Queen and Queen consort of Hungary and Bohemia. Maria Leopoldine was born in Innsbruck on 28 November 1632 as the daughter and the fifth and youngest child of Leopold V, Archduke of Further Austria. She was born posthumously, because her father died two months before her birth, on 13 September 1632, in addition to her full-siblings, she had and older half-sister, Vittoria della Rovere, born from her mothers first marriage with Federico Ubaldo della Rovere, Duke of Urbino. Maria Leopoldines oldest brother, Ferdinand Charles, inherited Further Austria, however, the union never took place. Soon after her wedding, Maria Leopoldine became pregnant, and was depicted as such in the 1649 painting by the Italian painter, the Imperial couples only child, Archduke Charles Joseph of Austria, was born on 7 August 1649. The childbirth was difficult, ending in the death of the 16-year-old Empress. Her husband remarried within two years, while their son died childless aged 15 and she is buried in tomb 21 in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna. The writer Wolf Helmhardt von Hohberg, then at the beginning of his career, sent to Emperor Ferdinand III a poem written in honour of the late Empress, kaiserinnen in der Frühen Neuzeit, Böhlau ed. Vienna 2016 ISBN 978-3-20-520085-7. Gigi Beutler, Die Kaisergruft, Wien 1993 Richard Reifenscheid, Die Habsburger, von Rudolf I. bis Karl I. Verlag Styria Graz/Wien/Köln 1982, ISBN 3-85001-484-3

34.
Mariana of Austria
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Mariana of Austria was Queen consort of Spain as the second spouse of King Philip IV, who was also her maternal uncle. At the death of her husband in 1665, Queen Mariana became regent for her son Charles II, the last Spanish Habsburg, born as Maria Anna on 24 December 1634 in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, she was the granddaughter of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II. Her parents were Ferdinand III and Maria Anna of Spain, the sister of Maria Annas future husband, King Philip IV of Spain. Her father, who would become emperor in 1637, was as yet only King of Hungary and Bohemia and her grandfather Emperor Ferdinand II died when she was 3 and her father became Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III. Maria Anna, was the second of six children, three of which died in early childhood and her oldest brother, Ferdinand IV of Hungary died young. Only Maria Anna and her brother, the future Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. Maria Anna was destined from her years to continue the policy of intermarriage between the two branches of the Habsburg family, the Austrian and the Spanish. In 1646 Maria Anna, then eleven years old, was engaged to her Spanish Habsburg first cousin Balthasar Charles, Prince of Asturias, however, he died only three months later age 16. With Balthasar Charless death, Philip IV was left without a male heir, Philip was a widower, as his beautiful and beloved French wife, Elisabeth of France, had just died a few years prior. The forty-four-year-old Philip decided to marry his fourteen-year-old niece himself, after a marriage by proxy, they were wedded on 7 October 1649 in Navalcarnero, near Madrid, and spent their wedding night at El Escorial. From then on, she went by her name in Spanish, Mariana and Philips marriage was not a happy one due to both Philips infidelities and the age difference between them. Mariana had nothing to do with governance while her husband reigned, instead she buried herself in religion to an extent that was excessive even for her time and place. Mariana and Philips marriage produced five children, however, only two lived into adulthood. Their first child was Margaret Theresa, who was born on 12 July 1651, just as her mother did, she went on to marry her own maternal uncle Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor. In 1655, Mariana then had another daughter, Maria Ambrosia de la Concepción, during this time, there were those at court who wanted Philip to officially name his eldest daughter, Maria Theresa, as his heir, as she was already heir presumptive according to Spanish tradition. Mariana began feeling the pressure to have a son, eventually, her first son, Philip Prospero, was born on 28 November 1657, who was joyously received. She then gave birth to the Infante Ferdinand Thomas in 1658, sadly, her son Philip Prospero died in 1661. But that same year, Mariana gave birth to her last child, Charles was born physically and mentally disabled

35.
Maria Theresa of Spain
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Maria Theresa of Spain, was by birth Infanta of Spain and Portugal and Archduchess of Austria as member of the Spanish branch of the House of Habsburg and by marriage Queen of France and Navarre. Her marriage in 1660 with King Louis XIV was made with the purpose to end the war between France and Spain. Without any political influence in the French court or government, she died at the age of 44 from complications from an abscess on her arm. Born an Infanta of Spain at the Royal Monastery of El Escorial, she was the daughter of King Philip IV, and his wife Elisabeth of France, as a member of the House of Habsburg, Maria Theresa was entitled to use the title Archduchess of Austria. Unlike France, the kingdom of Spain had no Salic Law, when Maria Theresas brother Balthasar Charles died in 1646, she became heiress presumptive to the vast Spanish Empire and remained such until the birth of Philip Prospero, in 1657. She was heiress presumptive once more between 1 November and 6 November 1661– the death of Prince Philip and the birth of Prince Charles, who would later inherit the thrones of Spain as Charles II. In 1658, as war with France began to wind down, anne of Austria desired an end to hostilities between her native country of Spain and her adopted one, France. However, Spanish procrastination led to a scheme in which Frances prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin, pretended to seek a marriage for his master with Margaret Yolande of Savoy. When Philip IV of Spain heard of a meeting at Lyon between the Houses of France and Savoy in November 1658, he reputedly exclaimed of the Franco-Savoyard union that it cannot be, and will not be. Philip then sent an envoy to the French court to open negotiations for peace. The negotiations for the contract were intense. This was eventually done but, by the skill of Mazarin and his French diplomats, the renunciation and its validity were made conditional upon the payment of a large dowry. As it turned out, Spain, impoverished and bankrupt after decades of war, was unable to pay such a dowry, a marriage by proxy to the French king was held in Fuenterrabia. On 9 June the marriage took place in Saint-Jean-de-Luz at the rebuilt church of Saint Jean the Baptist. After the wedding, Louis wanted to consummate the marriage as quickly as possible, the new queens mother-in-law arranged a private consummation instead of the public one that was the custom. On 26 August 1660, the made the traditional Joyous Entry into Paris. Maria Theresa was very fortunate to have found a friend at court in her mother-in-law and she continued to spend much of her free time playing cards and gambling, as she had no interest in politics or literature. Consequently, she was viewed as not fully playing the part of queen designated to her by her marriage, but more importantly, she became pregnant in early 1661, and a long-awaited son was born on 1 November 1661

36.
Margaret Theresa of Spain
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Margaret Theresa of Spain, was by marriage Holy Roman Empress, German Queen, Archduchess consort of Austria, Queen consort of Hungary and Bohemia. Margaret Theresa was born on 12 July 1651 in Madrid as the first child of King Philip IV of Spain born from his marriage with his niece Archduchess Mariana of Austria. Because of this marriage, Margarets mother was nearly thirty years younger than her father. On her fathers side, Margarets grandparents were King Philip III of Spain, on her mothers side her grandparents were Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor and his wife Infanta Maria Anna of Spain. The marriage of her parents was purely made for reasons, mainly the search for a new male heir for the Spanish throne after the early death of Balthasar Charles. Besides him, the only surviving child of Philip IVs first marriage was the Infanta Maria Theresa. After Margaret, between 1655 and 1661, four children were born from the marriage between Philip IV and Mariana of Austria, but only one survived infancy, the future King Charles II of Spain. Margaret didnt develop the health issues and disabilities that her younger brother showed since his birth. During her childhood she was seriously ill, but survived. According to contemporaries, Margaret had an appearance and lively character. Her parents and close friends called her the little angel and she grew up in the Queens chambers in the Royal Alcazar of Madrid surrounded by many maids and servants. The Infanta loved candies, which she hid from the physicians who cared for the health of her teeth. Margarets father and maternal grandfather Emperor Ferdinand III love her deeply, in his private letters King Philip IV called her my joy. At the same time, Margaret was brought up in accordance with the etiquette of the Madrid court. In the second half of the 1650s at the court in Vienna the necessity developed for another dynastic marriage between the Spanish and Austrian branches of the House of Habsburg. The union was needed to strengthen the position of countries, especially against the Kingdom of France. At first the proposals were for Maria Theresa, the eldest daughter of Philip IV, to marry the heir of the Holy Roman Empire, then began discussion about a marriage between Margaret and the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. However, the Madrid court hesitated to agree with this proposal, Philip IV already planned to give his younger daughter in marriage to King Charles II of England, in order to prevent his marriage with Catherine of Braganza

37.
Eleanor of Austria, Queen of Poland
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Eleanor Maria Josefa of Austria was, by her two marriages, Queen of Poland and Duchess of Lorraine. Born in Regensburg, she was the daughter of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, Eleanor married Michael Korybut Wiśniowiecki, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, on 27 February 1670 in the Jasna Góra Monastery. They had one stillborn son on 29 November 1670, in 1671, she had a miscarriage. The opposition of Michael spread rumours that Michael forced her to fake pregnancies, Queen Eleanor was regarded as a model of goodness, softness and loyalty toward her spouse. She learned Polish, although she preferred Latin, and accompanied Michael on his journeys around Poland. She remained in Poland for a couple of years after his death, Eleanor then married Charles V, Duke of Lorraine, on 6 February 1678 in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. The couple resided in Innsbrück in Austria and they were the parents of 6 children. She passed to her heirs the inheritance of the Gonzaga of Mantua, leopold, Duke of Lorraine Charles Joseph of Lorraine Eleanor of Lorraine Charles Ferdinand of Lorraine General Joseph Innocent Emanuel of Lorraine Francis Anthony Joseph of Lorraine. Abbot in Malmedy, Abbot in Stablo, Eleanor died at the age of 44, having outlived both of her husbands and 2 of her children

38.
Claudia Felicitas of Austria
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A member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic, she had a beautiful singing voice and composed music, and also was passionately fond of hunting. Claudia Felicitas had a influence on her husband, thanks to her. She also struggled with the abuse of the executive and judicial systems, during her 3-year-long marriage, she gave birth to two children who died in infancy, and she died after the birth of her second child. She was the last member of the Tyrolean branch of the House of Habsburg, Claudia Felicitas was born in Innsbruck on 30 May 1653. She was the first child and eldest daughter of Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Further Austria and Count of Tyrol, by his wife and first-cousin Anna de Medici. Her parents failed to produce a heir, after Claudia Felicitas. In consequence, Claudia Felicitas and her sister became the last members of the Tyrolean branch of the House of Habsburg. Some sources described her as a beautiful girl, with a lively character. The princess grew up at court in Innsbruck, which thanks to her parents one of the centers of European baroque art. She had an excellent singing voice, played instruments and also composed music. However, she didnt forget the customary pious activities, being a member of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. The dispute with the court ended only after the wedding of her eldest daughter with the Emperor, after her marriage. From his first marriage with Infanta Margaret Theresa of Spain, Leopold I had four children, the proxy marriage took place in Innsbruck, and the bride received a dowry of 30,000 guilders. Then she, with her mother and cortege, traveled to Graz, by command of the Emperor, Prince Johann Seyfried von Eggenberg was in charge of the celebrations. The wedding was held at Graz Cathedral on 15 October 1673, on 3 November, the Imperial couple went from Graz to Vienna. During her marriage, Claudia Felicitas gave birth to two daughters, who died in childhood, Anna Maria Josepha Theresia Antonia Dominica Xaveria Dorothea, Maria Josepha Clementina Anna Gabriella Antonia Franziska Dominica Theresia Eva Placidia, Archduchess of Austria. Despite the failure to produce the male heir, Claudia Felicitas enjoyed a happy marriage and had great influence over her husband. The Empress drew attention to the abuses of her husband and the court, especially in the government

39.
Archduchess Maria Anna Josepha of Austria
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Maria Anna Josepha of Austria, was a Duchess consort of Jülich-Berg and Electoral Princess of the Palatinate. Born in Regensburg, she was the youngest surviving daughter of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, in Wiener Neustadt on 25 October 1678 Maria Anna married John William, Electoral Prince of the Palatinate and brother of Empress Eleonor Magdalene, third wife of Emperor Leopold I. After the marriage, the Electoral Prince and Princess settled in Düsseldorf, as a gift to the newlyweds, Philip William, Elector Palatine ceded to them the Duchies of Jülich and Berg in 1679. During her marriage, the Electoral Princess gave birth two children, but neither survive infancy, A son, Maria Anna died of tuberculosis during a visit to the imperial court in Vienna. She was buried in the Imperial Crypt, harm Klueting, Wolfgang Schmale, The Empire and its territorial states in the 17th and 18th centuries, Volume 10, LIT Edit. Constantin von Wurzbach, Maria Anna Josepha, in, Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich, vol. Media related to Archduchess Maria Anna Josepha of Austria at Wikimedia Commons

40.
Maria Antonia of Austria
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Maria Antonia of Austria was the eldest daughter and only surviving child of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and his wife Margaret Theresa of Spain. She became Electress of Bavaria when she married in 1685, and her birth was the result of the inbreeding chronic in the Habsburg family during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Her father Leopold was her mothers uncle and paternal first cousin once removed. Also, her grandparents, King Philip IV of Spain and Queen Mariana, were uncle. Since her childhood, Maria Antonia was an intelligent and cultivated girl, the last Habsburg king of Spain, Charles II, never fathered any children. During her childhood, it was decided that she would marry her uncle, Charles II. As an alternative, she became a candidate for marriage to Victor Amadeus II of Sardinia, the Duke of Savoy, Maria Antonia finally did marry Maximilian II, the Elector of Bavaria, on 15 July 1685 in Vienna. Their marriage was unhappy, but they did have three children, all of whom died in childhood. Joseph Ferdinands death before that of Charles II, the last Habsburg king of Spain, if he had survived Charles, the European powers likely would have permitted him to accede to the throne of Spain. Leopold Ferdinand of Bavaria died at birth, anton of Bavaria died at birth. Joseph Ferdinand of Bavaria Friedrich Weissensteiner, Liebeshimmel und Ehehöllen - Heyne Taschenbuchverlag 1999 - ISBN 3-453-17853-X

41.
Archduchess Maria Elisabeth of Austria (governor)
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Archduchess Maria Elisabeth of Austria, was the governor of the Austrian Netherlands between 1725 and 1741. Maria Elisabeth was a daughter of Emperor Leopold I and Eleonore-Magdalena of Pfalz-Neuburg and she well educated and fluent in Latin, German, French and Italian. In 1725, she was appointed Prince Eugene of Savoys successor as the regent governor of the Austrian Netherlands by her brother, Maria Elisabeth was described as a forceful administrator and a popular regent. Her independent politics, however, were not always appreciated in Vienna and she suspended the Ostend Company in 1727 and closed it in 1731. She had enough financial means at her disposal to uphold an elaborate court which stimulated culture, among others, she patronized Jean-Joseph Fiocco, her maestro di cappella who dedicated several oratorios to her between 1726 and 1738. The architect Jean-Andre Anneessens designed the palace Mariemont for her, where she spent her summers and she died suddenly and unexpectedly at Mariemont, upon which she was displayed at a public Lit-de-parade in Brussels 29 August. When she died at the age of 61, she was first buried in Brussels, but moved to Vienna in 1749, in, Nouvelle Biographie nationale de Belgique, Bd

42.
Maria Anna of Austria
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Maria Anna of Austria was an Archduchess of Austria and Queen consort of Portugal. She was also Regent of Portugal from 1742 until 1750 during the illness of her husband King John V of Portugal, born Maria Anna Josepha, she was a daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg. Maria Anna was a sister of Holy Roman Emperors Joseph I, through her brother Charles, she was an aunt of Maria Theresa, Austrias first queen regnant. On 27 October 1708 Maria Anna of Austria married John V and she would cease to be the Queen Consort of Portugal on 31 July 1750, when her husband died. During her time as Queen Consort of Portugal, she acted as regent during times of her husbands illness, once she was head of her household, Maria Anna reformed her court and its customs to follow the traditions and costumes of the traditional Queens of Portugal. Her greatest influence on the court, and Portuguese nobility as a whole, was the increase of segregation between men and women, as well as servants and masters. Like John, Maria Anna had an exubrant taste, and this was best shown in her famous parties, in 1742 Maria Anna took over power as regent after her husband suffered a stroke, which left him partially paralyzed. When John V died on 31 July 1750 she gave up power to their eldest son Joseph I of Portugal and she died while in residence in the Palace of Belém in 1754. After her death, she was buried in Lisbon, but her heart was brought to Vienna, on 27 October 1708 she married her maternal first cousin John V of Portugal to become Queen consort of Portugal. She was the mother of six children, Barbara of Portugal, married Ferdinand VI of Spain, pedro of Portugal, Prince of Brazil, died in infancy. Joseph I of Portugal, married Mariana Victoria of Spain, infante Carlos of Portugal, died in infancy. Peter III of Portugal married Maria I, Queen regnant of Portugal, had issue, infante Alexandre of Portugal, died in infancy. Maria Anna, along with her husband and children, is a character in José Saramagos novel Baltasar. Reis de Portugal, D. João V. Lisbon, Temas & Debates